Protesting sanitation workers lay siege to MCG office in Gurugram

The MCG workers, who are demanding regularisation of their jobs and wage increment, are not allowing officials or visitors to enter the premises and have also set up tents, officials said. The offices of the zonal tax officer, the accounts department and IT cell are all located in the MCG office

Sanitation workers have been protesting at the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) office opposite the Civil Hospital in Sector 15 for the last 10 days, leading to disruption in services such as marriage registration, name change and others that are carried out at the citizen facilitation centre (CFC) located inside the building, officials said on Thursday.

The MCG workers, who are demanding regularisation of their jobs and wage increment, are not allowing officials or visitors to enter the premises and have also set up tents, officials said.

The offices of the zonal tax officer, the accounts department and the information technology (IT) cell are all located in the MCG office.

MCG commissioner PC Meena said prohibitory orders under section 144 are in force and warned that action will be taken against those who are disrupting official work. “Anyone found violating the order will be pulled up and strict action will be initiated against such people,” he said.

Naresh Malkat, state secretary of Nagar Palika Karamchari Sangh said, “The protesters do not intend to interrupt work or harass visitors, but this is the only way they can press their demands. The officials of the civic body should also face discomfort so that they can understand our plight. Silent protests will not make any difference,” he said.

Malkat said they have chosen the MCG building to set up tents as it is one of the most comfortable places to protest and have trees around. “We wanted a suitable place for the protesters because our fight will go on for days and there are slim chances that the government will fulfil our requirements. The city has a severe shortage of sanitation workers and we have asked the MCG to create more vacancies,” he said.

Baljeet Singh Rathee, president of DLF Qutub Enclave residents’ welfare association (RWA), said they tried to visit the MCG office for a property ID related issue and to register a marriage, but were not allowed to enter the premises. “The protesters are sitting outside the office, and no one is allowed to enter. Residents are not allowed to meet officials and are facing inconvenience,” he said.

Mohit Singh, a resident of Sector 48, said he went to the MCG office twice this week, but was unable to submit an application as he was not allowed to enter the premises. “Due to the ongoing strike, I was not able to enter the MCG office,” he said.

However, MCG officials said there are two gates to enter the building and they are using the second gate. “Most of our processes are online and the ongoing protest by the sanitation workers hasn’t made much of a difference. People can use the second gate to enter our office. We are trying our best so that residents do not face any inconvenience,” said Vijay Yadav, MCG joint commissioner.

According to MCG officials, 3,000 employees were on strike for the first time in October last year and had called it off after the government assured them that it would fulfil their demands. The sanitation workers alleged that the government did not keep its word and that is why they have started a fresh protest again.

The protesting sanitation workers had stopped cleaning streets in residential areas and public places and it had resulted in garbage piling up in different areas across Gurugram city.

MCG officials said Gurugram has 3,137 sanctioned posts for sanitation workers and all of them are currently filled. But the workers contend that there is a requirement of around 6,250 sanitation workers, given the city’s population of over a million.